Response of Growth and Flowering Characters of Jasminum sambac (L.) to Modified Planting System and Pruning Schedule

Abstract

Background: The study on the effect of varied plant density with different pruning levels on growth and flower yield in Jasminum sambac (L.) was carried out at the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, TNAU, Coimbatore during 2021-2022. Methods: The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with eight treatment combinations and replicated thrice. The treatments comprised of T1 (D1P1)- Control = One plant pit-1 + one pruning year-1, T2 (D1P2) = One plant pit-1 + two prunings year-1, T3 (D2P1) = Two plants pit-1 + one pruning year-1, T4 (D2P2) = Two plants pit-1 + two prunings year-1, T5 (D3P1) = Three plants pit-1 + one pruning year-1, T6 (D3P2) = Three plants pit-1 + two prunings year-1, T7 (D4P1) = Four plants pit-1 + one pruning year-1, T8 (D4P2) = Four plants pit-1 + two prunings year-1 respectively. Pruning treatments were imposed on one year after planting of J. sambac (L.) a new clone (nine budded clone) which is prolific and high yielder. Most of the growth and yield parameters were significantly influenced by increased plant densities and pruning levels. Result: Considering the growth and flowering traits in Jasmine, the pooled data indicated that the treatment T6 (D3P2) i.e. three plants pit-1 + two prunings year-1 was found superior for growth and flowering parameters namely plant height (84.47 cm), canopy spread (0.350 m2), number of primary branches plant-1 (16.27), number of secondary branches plant-1 (36.73), number of cymes plant-1 (1989.7), number of nine budded cymes plant-1 (911.0), number of flower buds plant-1 (2875.0), flower yield plant-1 (730.3 g) and flower yield ha-1 (5071.0 kg) whereas, lowest yield (3241.5 kg/ha) was observed in T1 (D1P1) i.e. one plant pit-1 + one pruning year-1. But the parameter on days taken for first harvest of flower buds, number of flower buds cyme-1 and weight of hundred flower buds was found to be non-significant. The results might be due to increased plant density combined with alteration in pruning have enhanced not only speedy plant growth and vast canopy spread but also other yield attributing parameters such as increased number of cymes with nine buds per hectare which in turn might have resulted in higher flower production when compared to conventional planting.